The bodies just kept coming - photographer recounts deadly Rio security action

The eyewitness

A reporter who observed the aftermath of a massive law enforcement action in the metropolitan area has recounted how residents came back with badly injured victims of people who lost their lives.

The bodies "kept coming: the numbers kept rising", the eyewitness reported. The total contained those of police officers.

One individual was found without a head - others were "totally disfigured", he explained. Numerous victims displayed what he described as stab wounds.

Over 120 individuals were fatally injured during Tuesday's raid targeting an illegal organization - the bloodiest action the municipality has seen.

The photographer stated that he initially learned about the operation in the early hours by local people of the Alemão neighbourhood, who reached out alerting him gunfire had erupted.

The photographer made his way to the Getúlio Vargas hospital, where the bodies were coming in.

The eyewitness reported that security forces prevented journalists from entering the Penha neighborhood, where the police action was under way.

"Security forces established a perimeter and declared: 'Media representatives cannot proceed beyond this point'."

However, the photographer, who grew up in the community, stated he succeeded to make his way past the security perimeter, where he continued through the night.

He reported during the night, community members commenced searching the elevated terrain which divides the community of Penha and the adjacent Alemão area for family members whose whereabouts were unknown after the operation.

Local people living in Penha arranged the recovered bodies in a square - the photographer's images reveal the emotions of those present.

"The harsh reality of it all affected me profoundly: the grief of loved ones, parents losing consciousness, pregnant wives, weeping, angry family members," the reporter recounted.

The eyewitness

The state leader of the region announced that the extensive law enforcement effort with approximately 2,500 law enforcement members was intended to halting an illegal organization known as Comando Vermelho from increasing their control.

Initially, state authorities claimed that "60 suspects along with four officers" were fatally injured in the operation.

Officials subsequently stated that their "preliminary" count indicates that 117 individuals lost their lives.

The legal assistance organization, that offers legal help to disadvantaged individuals, has estimated the final tally of casualties to be 132.

According to researchers, the criminal organization is the only criminal group that in the past few years has succeeded to make territorial gains in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Experts commonly view as a major illegal faction in Brazil, together with First Capital Command, with a background extending half a century.

Per reporter an expert, with extensive experience documenting illegal operations in Rio over many years, the criminal organization "functions as a network" with local criminal leaders joining the organization and becoming "commercial associates".

The gang focuses mainly on narcotics distribution, while also dealing in weapons, precious metals, petroleum products, alcohol and tobacco.

Based on official reports, organization members possess significant weaponry and officials reported that throughout the operation, they encountered resistance from explosive-laden drones.

The official of the state, Cláudio Castro, characterized organization participants as "narcoterrorists" and called the four police officers fatally injured in the action as "heroes".

But the number of fatalities during the raid has faced scrutiny with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights stating they were "horrified".

During a press briefing the next day, the official justified security actions.

"There was no objective to kill anyone. We wanted to arrest them all alive," he said.

He continued that the events had escalated due to the alleged criminals had retaliated: "It resulted of the resistance they carried out and the overwhelming response from the gang members."

The governor further reported that the victims shown by residents in the area were "altered".

Through a message on social media, he asserted that particular individuals had been removed of the camouflage clothing that he stated they possessed "to redirect responsibility toward law enforcement".

A police official of Rio's civil police force further reported that tactical gear, body armor, and firearms" had been removed from the bodies and displayed evidence seemingly depicting an individual stripping military attire {off a corpse